Janet Pitsiulaaq Brewster is a multi-disciplinary artist and the Executive Director of NACA. Janet was formerly the Territorial Manager of Patient Relations for the Government of Nunavut, where she successfully led the Department of Health’s patient-advocacy section. She has devoted her career to community-minded engagement, development and advocacy across the private, public and not for profit sectors. Janet has served as Chair of the Board of Directors of Alianait Arts Festival, Toonik Tyme Festival and Vice Chair of the Aboriginal Healing Foundation. She is currently Chair of the Board of Directors of Uquutaq Society. Originally from Talurjuaq, Janet started carving at the age of 11. While living in Ottawa in her 20s, Janet began exploring other art forms and completed an internship at the National Gallery. Known for transforming negative graffiti in her community into positive statements, she uses spray paint and other unconventional materials. Her work was been featured by CBC, Macleans and Nunatsiaq News. She is named after the celebrated Cape Dorset artist Pitseolak Ashoona.

Lise Chouinard | Administrative Assistant

Lise Leslie Pakak Joapie Ujarak Tuunngaaluk Chouinard is originally from Ikpiarjuk, she is the daughter of Palluq and Paul Chouinard. Lise has worked for the Baffin Regional Chamber of Commerce as a Membership Coordinator and for the Nunavut Trade Show in Iqaluit and the Northern Lights Trade Show in Ottawa as a Production Assistant. Most recently, Lise has worked with NACA as the Nunavut Arts Festival Coordinator and Production Assistant for the Artist’s Market at the Northern Perspectives Trade Show in Winnipeg and the Northern Lights Trade Show in Ottawa. Outside of work, Lise enjoys painting and spending time with her children.

Kathleen Nicholls | Director of Programming

As the Director of Programming at NACA Kathleen oversees the development and delivery of the organization’s projects and initiatives. Previously, she was Manager of Communications and Membership at NACA and the Programming Coordinator at Galerie SAW Gallery in Ottawa, where she coordinated exhibitions and oversaw the operations of Club SAW, hosting over 700 arts and cultural events during her time there. Her curatorial work and artistic programming has been featured and received favourable reviews in BLOUIN ARTINFO, BBC.com, Canadian Art, CBC, CTV, Le Devoir, Global National News, Nunatsiaq News, The Ottawa Citizen, Ottawa Magazine, The Royal Academy of Arts, Voir and the Winnipeg Free Press. She has taught courses in visual arts and communications at Nunavut Arctic College and the University of Windsor, and holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Windsor and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Lakehead University.

Thomas Rohner | Manager of Communications and Membership

Thomas Rohner leads NACA's communications and marketing projects and oversees engagement initiatives. Thomas joined the Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association in 2017 to spearhead NACA’s ambitious Canada 150 Project. The aim of the $500,000 project is to coordinate and distribute funds to at least 10 Nunavut community events or projects marking Canada’s 150th birthday. Partnering with the Department of Canadian Heritage, Nunavut’s Department of Economic Development and Transportation, Nunavut Tourism, Nunavut Film and the Inuit Heritage Trust, Thomas headed a Canada 150 committee that approved fourteen community celebrations in twelve different communities. Thomas has lived in Iqaluit for three years, most of which he spent as a daily reporter for Nunatsiaq News, where he won multiple awards for his reporting. Thomas continues to pursue his passion for investigative journalism and writing while also teaching piano lessons.